The abuse occurred day and night, and young players were attacked repeatedly and forced to sodomize each other, the report says. "He was after my son morning, noon, and night. They did not come to help me.Rullo quotes the parent of that child as blamingprincipal John Didden, who did not protect mychild., Four days later, Rullo and two other parents who spokereceive identical profanity-laced letters in the mail,warning that if they keep speaking out, theyllalso get the broomstick treatment. A football captain begged for the season to be reinstated, and his pleas were met with thunderous applause. Students ''don't know who to blame,'' said Allie. "The gastroenterologist said, 'What happened? At last nights meeting, one player called the coaches caring role models, and team captain Dan Cosenza hugged McElroy. Anyplayer that wants to be on the football team can be onthe team. Watch this highlight video of the Mepham (North Bellmore, NY) football team in its game Recap: Mepham vs. Long Beach 2022 on Nov 4, 2022. And coming in, you expect it.Youre ready for it., From what I heard, the guys stuck his head inthe toilet, and that was it. Are you on crack? This story has been shared 140,209 times. The guy grabbed me in front of the wholeteam, Berger says. The Biden administrations policy of blocking unvaccinated people from the country continues to make little sense. Then it became a football school. He previously suffered a brain aneurysm on February 18, and was ultimately taken off life support. Murdaugh defense team plans to appeal conviction McElroy was practically a secondfather to Zereoue when the running back moved to ahome for wayward boys in Bellmorearriving, toMephams good fortune, at the start of hishigh-school career. "And if you had a broomstick stuck up your rectum, you'd be screaming and fighting forever to make sure that didn't happen, wouldn't you? Mary is athird-generation Bellmoron. Her boy,Kyle, played varsity. Four days ago, hisfather died in his sleep. These towns lost seventeenpeople in the World Trade Center attacks.Theyre places whose kids go to college locallyand then settle here and raise families. 18 - 35 L. 10/15/2022. at Garden City. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us. It involved a fight amongteenage boys. Also, sleep-away sports camps will no longer be authorized by the school district, Billig said. That boy was not hurt at camp, but other kids were. He had to tell people what happened to him," says Carol. Both told stories of defending their school when they were teased by students outside the district and cited the ''Mepham Pride'' buttons that they and many classmates have taken to wearing. They have criticized the coaches and school district for lax supervision, accusing Mepham officials of ignoring the long disciplinary record of one of the three attackers. All five lost their coaching positions. Yet to place responsibilityon any adult, coach or parent, means at leastpartially acquitting the kids; to suggest that someoneshould have stopped them is to believe that they couldhave been stopped. They could be home as early as next month. . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google However, it seems too important to let go. Even before three varsity players for the Mepham High School Pirates sodomized three freshman teammates at a football camp, using golf balls, pine cones and a broomstick, other classes of. And would you let it happen a second and third time? Diasparra cut a deal and received probation. I told him what hazing was, he says.I did not explain to him that hazing wasgolf balls, broomsticks, and pinecones.Reichsteins son was unharmed; three otherfreshmen werent so lucky. His dadsaved his friends life that day. Kevin Minnick | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com | Dec 7, 2022. The coaches are suing to get their jobs back. He said, 'Well, your son was just online and saying he can't take it anymore. "There were no screams. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { Most of the shit they did was pranks,like shaving cream, one Mepham boy tells me ona sunny Wednesday, a day before the funeral of thelinemans father. Most students, the girls say, have not gotten caught up in the anger and recrimination that have divided their parents. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. "Everybody says we should just know. "I don't want everything he's gone through to be just a waste. Students attend a pep rally at Mepham High School in Bellmore, N.Y. I dont evencare what they did.. "They couldn't be further from the truth," says Cannestro. ", "Did a parent come and complain to us? But rather, in my opinion, how could the coaches have known?" Mepham High School (North Bellmore, NY) Varsity Football Varsity Boys Football North Bellmore, NY FOLLOW TEAM 22-23 V. Football Home Schedule Roster Standings Rankings Photos Videos News More / Mepham High School Football Mepham Football OVERALL 10-2 0.83 Win % LEAGUE 8-1 2nd in League HOME6-0 AWAY3-1 NEUTRAL1-1 PF334 PA169 STREAK1L Was there anything that indicated they were injured or traumatized? My first reason I believe athletes with bad grades shouldnt play sports, For years, the use of performance-enhancing drugs has haunted all levels of sport, baseball taking the majority of the publicity. Your sonwoo hoo!Hes having fun. (516) 569-4000, To donate or for more information, click here, Chamber, mayors office are no match for the Thunderbolts. These parents are now lobbying for a national hazing law, one with severe penalties. Hasan Minhaj Brings His Powerpoints and Power Suits to Independent Spirit Awards. Watch this highlight video of the Mepham (North Bellmore, NY) football team in its game Recap: Mepham vs. South Side 2022 on Oct 22, 2022. The Mepham-Garden City football game this week could be a juicy one. One was sent to a boot camp, another to a juvenile treatment facility and the third returned home on probation. More than 60 players attended the camp, including the boy's best friend Patty and Jimmy's son who was also just 13. "Did I tell the perpetrators to go and do that to those kids? Reichsteins wife,Kristina, then begged Didden to make an example of thelineman. The school also erred by putting the coaches in one cabin and leaving the players in other cabins, supervised only by an older teammate, the report says. According to the report, two of the attackers held down one of the freshmen while the third sodomized the freshman with a broomstick coated with Mineral Ice, a pain-relieving ointment. Adds Jesse: Mepham kids say,Youre from Kennedy, and punch us.Theyre the bully school, the physical school.Even in middle school, we knew which kids were goingto Mepham and which to Kennedy.. We're in education because we love kids.". I think the kids covered it up to saveCoach Mac and save their season., Tending bar at Docs is Rob McDermott, class of95. Everyone should be so lucky.''. In practice, theyd put meon the B squad and Id tear up the Asquad. He says he stayed on the team for twoyears but was allowed on the field only once,returning a kickoff 50 yards. Kids have come to practice Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday, and Friday to get better, while their academics are suffering. What LAppartement 4F Co-owner Ashley Coiffard Put on Her Wedding Registry. And I know the family of one of theattackers. Sometimes its hardto tell what bothers the people of Bellmore andMerrick moreallegations of sodomy or the abruptend of football season. Yeah, that shit gotfreakin blown up. A pack of teenagers congregates across the street from Mepham High School, smoking their cigarettes and clowning. He told Pennsylvaniapolice that he couldnt release informationabout a student without a subpoena. On 11/4, the Mepham varsity football team won their home playoff game against Elmont Memorial (Elmont, NY) by a score of 14-7. It was supposed to be fun, and glorious. And he's looking for something in the house to hurt himself.' If they have failing grades as well, the colleges are sending their students into the world without a real chance at becoming professional athletes, and without an actual education. They reallycouldnt do anything about it. Hugged by his team captain and cheered by supporters, Mepham HSs head football coach was fired last night and his four assistants got the boot, too. Anyone can read what you share. A grand jury report later described how they used duct tape to pull off their children's pubic hair, how they forced them and another boy they sodomized to kick each other in the groin, and then threatened to beat and kill all of them if they told anybody. At least one group of parents has decided they will continue to speak out. It has been more than a month since school officials and prosecutors revealed that three older players were accused of sodomizing three freshmen with broomsticks, pine cones and golf balls in an attack in late August at a preseason football camp in Pennsylvania. He taught us not to run away from ourproblems., How old were these kids, 16, 17? saysAndrew Longaro. That decision ''let down and insulted the victims and their families,'' the report says. It devastated us. The victims didn't tell us. Watch this highlight video of the Mepham (North Bellmore, NY) football team in its game Recap: Mepham vs. Long Beach 2022 on Oct 15, 2022, Watch this highlight video of the Mepham (North Bellmore, NY) football team in its game Recap: Mepham vs. Sewanhaka 2022 on Oct 29, 2022. Clutching their schoolbooks in their arms, Allie and Sarah said they actually felt tremendous pride in their school these days. I don't have psychic skills. I went to summerschool with them. The lineman, he says,was always starting fights. CNN. Student athletes are not getting the opportunity to play multiple sports during the year, because they are expected to spelize in one sport and focus on it year round, leaving no opportunity to play other sports or do other activities. At first, shock and disbelief prevailed. ''These assaults appear to have grown out of a history of hazing both at the football camp and at Mepham High School itself,'' the report says. He did more for me than any coach ever. But the victims told their parents they were screaming at the top of their lungs. MINEOLA, N.Y. -- Mepham High School football coach Kevin McElroy said Tuesday he was "shocked" by allegations that members of his varsity squad sexually abused younger players and said he. Meanwhile, Nassau police on Monday found a found a cache of weapons near the school including baseball bats and golf clubs. On 10/22, the Mepham varsity football team won their home conference game against South Side (Rockville Centre, NY) by a score of 49-18. According to the nine-page report, the culture of hazing and a lack of supervision and safeguards to protect students led to the sexual assaults that occurred in August while Mepham's varsity and junior varsity teams prepared for the season at a camp in Wayne County, Pa. The boy was a member of the 2007 Charlton County High School junior varsity golf team. Hisfriend was a captain on the team, he maybe was gonnaget a scholarship. On September 17, the Bellmore-Merrick Central HighSchool District Board of Education canceledMephams football season. Hedoesnt have a senior season to put on hiscollege application., This guy comes to my job, says Andy.He says, Oh, Im in Mephamnow, maybe I should shove a pinecone up myass! I said, Thats notfunny. These guys on the team are gonna beharassed the rest of their fuckin lives., My son knows one of the boys who wasattacked, Mary says sadly. We dontalways understand, and we dont alwayssee. He attempts a little levityIknow he shared his hopes for the Yankees with theLordbefore straining for profundity:The great artist has finished hisportrait. He urges the mourners to say a prayerfor the family. In the case of my four month concussion, there are residual mental and physical problems. He said no," recalls Carol. Werent theyalready on the right track? Students have pushed their bodies to the limits, causing extreme injury that will hold them back from sports in the future. Thanks for contacting us. Ke Huy Quan Continues His Winning Streak at the Independent Spirit Awards. So it just goes on and on. Because if these attacks are acceptedas hazing, then the school is responsible. When several parents received threatening letters after speaking out about the incident, emotions ratcheted higher. He used to play in the minor leagues and the team loved him because of his dedication to their lives and his credibility at baseball. When members of a high-school football team on Long Island were accused of sexual attacks, the community was appalled . Ultimately, its gonnabe a civil case. Abner Louima sued the New YorkPolice Department for $155 million, eventuallysettling for $8.75 million. In recent years, the Pirates havent done aswell, losing roughly as many games as theyvewon, but the coach remains a local legendafather figure who welcomes players to his house forbarbecues with his teenage daughters in attendance.Its not surprising, then, that McElroy and theadministration would be the first stop on thewhos-to-blame tour. Nassau County Girl Scouts fundraise for victims of quake in Syria, Turkey at Masjid Hamza, Powered by Creative Circle Media Solutions. We said, 'Are they hurting you?' Rick Scott Is Unfortunately Right About Novak Djokovic. Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix have broken up after he allegedly cheated on her with Raquel Leviss. Some tryouts are not far by any means, in which the coaches pick from not the skill but by the way they know the student. During his career, the prolific actor inhabited an array of troubled characters. But it really happened., McElroys lawyer vehemently denies almost everyaspect of Bergers story. High schools on Long Island have led a crackdown on rough-housing since the 2003 Mepham High School football training camp hazing scandal rocked the nation. "The kid who just made the tackle," says Cannestro, identifying one of the players on the tape. Once rated one of the best academic high. Most are no longer talking about the issue publicly, tired of the maelstrom of feelings that is stirred each time. On 11/4, the Mepham varsity football team won their home conference game against MacArthur (Levittown, NY) by a score of 14-7. A failure can be a downward spiral or a setback turning into a benefit. Gavin Roman broke the state record for most catches in a season during Holy Spirit's 63-34 rivalry win against Atlantic City in Absecon. On September 17, the Bellmore-Merrick Central HighSchool District Board of Education canceledMepham's football season. "The bottom line is, if we did anything wrong, we wouldn't be sitting here talking to you," says Cannestro. "Yeah," says Cannestro. 28 - 13 W. 10/22/2022. If such a policy had been in place, one of the attackers would not have been allowed at the camp, the report says. However, some would argue to say high school football is too dangerous to keep around. At 1:21 p.m. last Friday, the Mepham High School football and cheerleading squads should have rushed onto Mepham's field for a Kids in the bunks didn't tell us. The Bellmore-Merrick Board of Education voted unanimously tonight to cancel this year's football season at a Long Island high school that had been reeling from allegations that three older. The boy, wearing a regulation backward baseball cap,is standing at the schools west entrance. His broad shoulders are slumpedand trembling as he walks the coffin down the aisle ofSaint Barnabas Church in Bellmore, Long Island. mepham high school football scandal. There's coaches. McElroy says district policy discourages it: "To put a coach in the room, you're putting the coach or the adult right now at incredible risk of sexual charges.". Before lastmonth, Mepham High was generally known as anabove-average school with a robust athletic program.Fathers and sons have played for the Mepham Pirates,and Saturday football games are huge social events.The players are the schools heroes: With thepossible exception of Roone Arledge, Mephamsmost famous alumnus has been star Pittsburgh Steelersrunning back Amos Zereoue. "He was robbed of his innocence. I think they hated me because I introduced the pull-up to their strength and conditioning program. display: none; But then come the off-color jokes about broomsticks and pine cones from his friends. The issue spans to not only the professional level, but the high school and collegiate divisions as well. "What constitutes a scream?" Due to the poormoral character of your children, Kristina saysCaramore told the parents, this investigationis not moving forward. She stood up and askedDidden twice if any child had been threatened beforethe camp incidents. They were later suspended from classes on September 18. Correspondent Peter Van Sant reports. He had his little list. Whos going to give him thatmoney now? Coach Mac talked to my mom, convinced us tostay. The grand jury says the five coaches who supervised the team were ''more concerned with being coaches of a football team than interested in the well-being of the players as students.'' Terms of Service apply. !Effin this, effinthatyoure not coming on my team,youre done, youre done, youredone! And I started screaming at him.. Five football coaches at the center of the Mepham High School sexual abuse scandal will not be allowed to coach the team next year, the Bellmore-Merrick school board said on Wednesday. ''Our parents are being blamed. The report criticized the Wayne County judge, Robert Conway, for his decision not to move the attackers' cases from juvenile to adult court. The conversation easily shifts to a defenseof Coach Mac. For me, this challenge helped me develop as a person than will work harder and strive for the best in my academics. Mepham was known mainlyfor its wrestling program until Coach Mac arrived in1986. What's more, before camp, parents Victor and Kristina Reichstein say Carney threatened their 13-year-old son. Into the locker! . Criminal coercion. He never judged us, saysDave Lohman, class of 94. "These boys were like 6 feet 2 inches and 6 feet 4 inches, and roughly 250 lbs. Pertzborn and assistant coach Brad Rogeberg were made aware of the initial bullying on July 24, 2022, according to the police report. Legendary football coach Joe Paterno was one of those who was fired, which shook up the coaching staff. The coach wentalong with canceling the season because he knew kidswere not coming forward. I believe that exclusive tryouts should be held for children because they are extremely good for their mental health in three ways: tryouts teach kids humility, in that they arent always going to be selected, they help kids learn to work harder, and they boost kids confidence. '', Report Says Hazing Culture Led to Attacks On 3 Athletes, https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/11/nyregion/report-says-hazing-culture-led-to-attacks-on-3-athletes.html. The football players were unfairly penalized by the sanctions that were placed on the team. And the report provides the most detailed glimpse yet into the weeklong football camp and the assaults that took place in two cabins last summer. This is hard tosayI know he was a good coach and a lot of kidsliked him. The coaches say they were staying in another cabin less than 50 yards from the players, and if anyone screamed, they would have heard it. At this point, though, those feelings have mostly worn off, replaced by a different set of reactions, from weary resolve to dark humor. I want to bepart of the team.. Instead, they were treated as juveniles. On a Friday morning in August, 60 kids were droppedoff for the bus ride to Pennsylvania. Once rated one of the best academic high schools in the nation, Mepham High is now mired in scandal. It has been 11 years since three football players, ages 15 to 17, from Mepham High School in Bellmore, New York, were criminally charged with sodomizing teammates during a preseason. Mineral ice and especially that he now had, from the first time, a cut," says Carol. Thanks for contacting us. "I couldn't even process it in my head. It is in the best interests of our students and the success of our program that the present coaches not be re-appointed, said Bellmore-Merrick school-board member Norbert Billig. We care about kids. Vic and Kristina have done The Early Show and20/20. It's, like, they're monsters," says Patty. Did I do anything to those kids?" Whether its being in thelocker room, making sure everybodys on the samepage, rallying the troops, or making sureeveryones focused on the task at hand., How do you weed out the undisciplined players?On any high-school team, the seniors give you alittle bit of a hard time, he says. "We have a clip of the JV football scrimmage," says McElroy, who believes it proves that there was nothing obviously wrong. The father died on October 5a daybefore news broke that the lineman may be tried as anadult for some 26 felonies stemming from events thattook place over several late nights in August atMephams football-training camp in Wayne County,Pennsylvania. "They have to be lying.". Over the next few days, the broomstick assaults were repeated. Bellmore Journal; Life Goes On but Is Altered After School Scandal, https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/20/nyregion/bellmore-journal-life-goes-on-but-is-altered-after-school-scandal.html. Three varsity players are charged by Pennsylvania authorities with sodomizing three junior varsity players with broomsticks, pine cones and golf balls. The sexual assaults that occurred last summer among members of a Long Island high school football team sprang from old traditions of violent hazing that coaches and school officials could not curb, according to a report handed up yesterday by a Pennsylvania grand jury. Over the course of five days, their sons were brutally sodomized by their teammates. The coaches would have to be everywhere at thesame time, says Dave Hill. Know what is expected andacceptable. Be responsible. According to the report, ''a lack of accountability appears to permeate the entire structure of the administration and running of this camp program.'' No!! David Woycik, a lawyer for the victims, said, My clients were relieved that [Sofia and Carney] will be out of the community and off the streets and they are pleased the judicial system worked to a certain extent.. Here's why food advocates are worried they cant afford it. Reichstein triedto stare the lineman down. Dozens of Long Island parents outraged at the handling of broomstick hazing assaults at a Mepham High School football camp are organizing a secret meeting tomorrow to plan action against. Subscriber Exclusive. Berger says his friends persuaded him to stay off theteam. That kid wassick! says a player named Rob. "There's nothing anyone else could have done differently," adds Cannestro. It's a couple of days.' Other players laughed, the report said. We have more wealthy backgrounds, saysDanny. I'm grabbing all the medication out of my cabinet and looking for everything that I think he's gonna hurt himself. This has allowed more and more players to look to PEDs in order to gain an edge over their opponents. The question has whirled aroundBellmore for weeks: Who would raise a child who woulddo this to another child? Involuntary deviate sexualintercourse. You know, what could be going on? This was the 94th meeting between the two schools . College athletics are oftentimes not as glamorous as one would think. So, no., But, you know, says McDermott, ifthey wanted to do it? When the allegations surfaced in early September, the three accused teenagers were suspended from Mepham High School's football team. When parents came to an emergency meeting on September16 with the principal and superintendent, they heardnot mea culpas but accusations. Since returning from camp, he has barely slept. Weve been 0 and 8 since 1999!says James. Tell us how you did it coach. These words were forced into my face with a camera lens almost resting against my cheeks (page 395). He was riding the bus along with varsity members, who held him upside down. I notice when they're injured. They have become activists, who say that the incident is just part of a pattern of problems in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District. Its the kind of bar where people stillsmoke and no one cares. He was one of four captains chosen by CoachMac his senior season. Full speed," says McElroy. And he told us that they were keeping them up. "He was absolutely screaming. Waiting outside in front of the hearseis a police escort, to ward off the media. Children have strived for years to make their parents, teachers and coaches proud of them. Watch this highlight video of the Mepham (North Bellmore, NY) football team in its game Recap: Mepham vs. MacArthur 2022 on Nov 4, 2022. Theres no way youcant play me. "All of a sudden, you get this child who's been broken. What went wrong? 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